Jeff Karstens | Starting Pitcher

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Jeff Karstens announced his retirement from baseball on Monday.

Karstens is just 32, but his career went off track after a series of shoulder injuries. He was a solid, albeit unspectacular pitcher for parts of seven major league seasons, posting a 4.44 ERA and 1.33 WHIP for the Pirates and Yankees. Karstens hadn't pitched in the majors since 2012. May 4 - 8:00 PM

Jeff Karstens (shoulder) is planning to work out for interested major league teams in January.

Karstens is on his way back from shoulder surgery but should head into spring training with a clean bill of health. The 31-year-old right-hander has a 4.44 career ERA and 1.33 career WHIP in 592 1/3 MLB frames. Wed, Dec 18, 2013 04:46:00 PM

He returns to Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla. on Sunday to continue a throwing program. Karstens underwent rotator cuff and labrum surgery on Friday. He should be ready to go again in spring training. Sun, Aug 18, 2013 10:36:00 AM

Karstens will be shut down for a minimum of 10-12 weeks as he recovers from the injury. He had been aiming to join the Pirates' starting rotation in early June, but is now unlikely to return this season. Sat, Jun 8, 2013 02:45:00 PM

Depth Charts

Hart has been out since late June with a left shoulder injury and recently had to be pulled off his minor league rehab assignment due to renewed discomfort. The veteran has logged just 54 at-bats this season for the Bucs.

Mercer suffered the injuries Sunday when Carlos Gomez of the Brewers took him out in front of second base. He is expected to miss approximately six weeks. Jung Ho Kang is taking over at shortstop for the Bucs and Brent Morel has arrived from Triple-A Indianapolis to provide depth at third base.

Andrew Lambo's rehabilitation from plantar fasciitis has been halted for at least three weeks.

Lambo was given an anti-inflammatory injection. He's been on the disabled list since early May and might not return at all in 2015. "He had progressed into some baseball activity and was progressing well and came in with similar pain with what he had the first time we shut it down," Pirates GM Neal Huntington said Sunday.

Burnett admitted that he's had elbow pain off and on for a while and during his last start on Thursday it was "a little more than I expected, a little more than I could tolerate." The right-hander will not have surgery and conceded that it's possible he's thrown his last pitch. "I don't expect it to go away and I don't expect it to get better," he said. J.A. Happ has taken Burnett's spot in the Pirates' rotation.

Scahill has made it through a couple of bullpen sessions without issue and is now ready for the next step in his recovery from a forearm injury. He is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on August 6.